Electrical connection



I 4'members,'1 and 2 Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED-v STAT -f CLRENCE C. BERRY, OF VALLEY PARK, MISSOURI.

IELECTRCA'L coNNncrIoN.

\4 'Application aleaseptember 29,1923. serial No. 665,585. 7" t u Myinvention relates to electrical appay ratus and consists 1n an improvedswivelmg connectlon for electric wiring. As is well known, cordconnections between. relatively movable pieces of electrical apparatusis liketo become twisted with repeated handlings resulting in kinking ordoubling of thel cord, shortening its effective length, and, 1f carriedto extremes, injuring the insulation and evensevering the wires. i'

The object of my invention is to elimilnate excess twisting ofthecordby'means of a comparatively slmple economical swivel# ingconnection. The device is especially adapted for the cords connectingthe receiver of a telephone with the base of a transmitter or otheroutlet and for use in connection with electric irons, cleaners, andother household electric equipment, although it will be understood thatit is not limited to such applications.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a selected embodiment of myinvention,

Figure l is a vertical section through my connection.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the top member of the connection.

Figure 3 is a top view of the bottom member of the connection. l

Figure 4 is a side elevation of two members separated from each otherbut adapted to be assembled and form a swiveling connection, one memberof, which may be screwed into an ordinary electric socket.

It will be understood that the drawings ,are on an( enlarged' s/cale tomore clearly ill lustrate the construj/tion.

The body of the /connection comprises two any insulating material. Bothare cylind cal in general shape and member 1 is pr vided'with an outerperiph- `eral flange 3* ith an inner peripheral recess 41 near itsi/pper end adapted to rotatably receive flange 3 on member 1. y l

I nv order/ to" assemble members 1 and 2, the latter is at 5j and e twohalves of the member' are held toget 'er by screwsy 6. 4This'construction enables the two members to be freely rotated about theiraxes independentlyy of each other. Each member is provided withlongitudinal wire receiving y"passages parallel to the 'axis of themember and preferably spaced apart and from' the center ofy the member,although this/spacing is not essenits lower end while membery splitlongitudinally, as indicated y f y. y

. tial. y,Wires 7. may enter leachrmember through a. single central or'otherwise lo- 'catedpassage ,y The opposing `faces of. members 1 and 2are slightly spaced from eachother 'and each 1s provided withaf'plurality oirecesses 8 into each of which the end of one of the wires7 projects and is vsecured'by av'screw19. Y One 'w1re7 in `each memberljand 2 is' provided withfar Z-shaped 'terminal' 10, here shown ashavingaround portion 10"* lying 'in a plane parallel with the inner faceof the'member and' just beyond the latter.' These round portions arecentered on the axis of the connection and obviously if the two membersare rotated on each other these portions of the terminals will remainincontact with each other.

The upper member 1 is provided with a similar Z-shaped terminal 11spaced from the center of the member and having its projecting portion1la located near the periph ery of flange 3. This terminal is connectedto the other wire 7 entering member 1. Member 2 mounts an annularterminal 12 having a depressed lip 12L extending into a correspondingdepression 8 in the body of the member. This lip is connected to theother wire 7 of-member 2. If the two members are rotated upon eachother, terminal 11 on member 1 travels around the annular sury facev ofterminal 12 and is always in contact 'therewith 'By means of thisconstruction a bi-polar line is provided with al swivelng connection andplugs or oth r apparatus on the opposite ends of the wires ilhllstratedp may be rotated relative to each ot er -without necessarily twistingthe conn'ectin Wires.

Obviously the invention is no limited? to the form illustrated. Where Ishow ,the terminal 12 in the form of a complete `ring and terminal 11 ofrestricted area, it v-obvious that the one could be deer/cased in extent.an l j the o er increased wit out eliminating/tl e constant contactfeature la'vhich makes the device operative. f

While I show one pair of terminals lolated on the axis of the device,\iti clear that they could also comprise annul r members surrounding acentral oint if t ere was any vadvantage of kee ing t iscent al pointclear of terminals. f course, 'e number of wires entering/ the devicecould be increased and la three orffour line connection couldbeprovfided by increasing the annular rings,

:is/necessary. .f

'Other modifications in the details of my device may be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical connection, a cylindrical member having an externalperipheral fiange, a cylindrical member axial y aligned with saidfirst-mentioned member and having an internal peripheral recess adaptedto rotatably receive said flange, said latter-mentioned member' beingdivided longitudinally to permit assembly with and disassembly from saidfirst-mentioned member, each of said members having longitudinalpassage- Ways for Wires therethrough, the passagev Ways in said -dividedmember being spacedl from the dividing surface, and individual terminalelements for said passageways providing cooperating contact surfaces onthe opposing faces of said members.

2. In an electrical connection, a cylindrical member having an externalperipheral flange, a cylindrical member axially aligned with saidfirst-mentioned member and having an internal peripheral recess adaptedto rotatably receive said flange, said lattermentioned member beingdiyided longitudinally along its axis to permit assembly with anddisassembly from said first-mentioned member, each of said membershaving longitu'dinal passageways for Wires therethrough, the passagewaysin said .divided member being spaced from its axis, and individualterminal elements for said passageways providing cooperating contactsurfaces on the opposing faces of said members, one of which surfaces ofthe element on vthe divided member is located on the axis of the memberand is offset to be connected with the Wire in its `Arespectivepassageway.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 22nd day ofSeptember, 1923.

CLARENCE C. BERRY.

